They came, we saw, they conquered. Rap kings Jay-Z and Kanye West brought their Watch the Throne tour to the Bell Centre Tuesday night, and there was much rejoicing.

The two were performing in support of their collaborative album, released in August. And while that document offers a rare chance to hear the superstars team up in the studio, the live show was an opportunity to see them tag-team rhymes on the same stage – an infinitely more exciting prospect for the 13,000 fans who greeted them like the second coming.

Everyone was on their feet from the first notes of opener H*A*M – they would not sit for the rest of the evening – a deafening roar erupting as the two men took their positions on platforms at opposite ends of the arena. The twin towers went up in tandem, rising slowly as the massive, LED-covered blocks displayed images of sharks and pit bulls. It made for a stunning spectacle as the pair segued into Who Gon Stop Me.

After starting out apart, they came together (and down to the stage) for Otis, their album’s smash, Otis Redding-sampling single. The audience sang along as they let the original track, Try a Little Tenderness, run before jumping in with a flurry of rhymes, a giant American flag as backdrop.

A smaller starred-and-striped kerchief could be seen hanging casually out of Jay-Z’s back pocket, while West’s fashion statement of choice was his trademark leather skirt. They make a good team: the street rapper and the arty visionary. Jay-Z works in shades of boom-bap, West in wide-screen Technicolor.

They each had their chance to shine, trading off short sets of abbreviated versions of their best jams. Jay-Z led off with Where I’m From and Jigga What Jigga Who; West responded with Can’t Tell Me Nothing, Flashing Lights and Jesus Walks, All Falls Down lightening the vibe before he continued with Diamonds of Sierra Leone.

If the grandeur of West’s songs dazzled, it occasionally gave way to a drop in energy once he started rhyming. Jay-Z, meanwhile, kept it simple, his straightup MC style anchoring the bounce of Public Service Announcement and the anthemic horns of You Don’t Know.

Each rapper had his highlights and lulls, but the deluge of hits ultimately made for a winning formula. The crowd went wild as West joined Jay-Z for Run This Town, singing along as Rihanna’s pre-recorded voice delivered the hook.

West answered with Monster and Power. Both men sat down for the introspective combo of Made In America and New Day, sentimental standouts off the new album.

Jay-Z indulged his fans with Hard Knock Life and Empire State of Mind, later returning for the more rugged On to the Next One, Dirt Off Your Shoulder and Big Pimpin’.

West showed his soft/strange side on Runaway and Heartless, then hyped it up with Stronger, Good Life and Touch the Sky; and the pair traded anthems with Gold Digger and 99 Problems.

If it all sounds overwhelming, it’s because it was. With approximately 40 songs in 2½ hours, the evening was action-packed. The uneven pacing became an afterthought – and part of the appeal – as the two rappers’s divergent styles made it impossible to get bored, with another favourite around every corner.

Show-closer Niggas In Paris brought the house down, sending everyone home happy. Performed a ludicrous five times, the song provoked giddy delirium, prompting Jay-Z to gush: “I love this city! I love this (expletive) city!”

The feeling, it goes without saying, was mutual. This was a historic hip-hop happening, and it did not disappoint.

Click here to see a gallery of Pierre Obendrauf’s photos from the show.

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